The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-10-27
For THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER.
CORN
EXPERIMENT NO.. Z.

EXPERIMENT. NO.. z.
The same piece of ground used tor
last years experiment was used this
season, making four successive years
in corn. The area is lSxl4 feet, equal
to LIS of an acre.
M~ANURING, PREPARATION N PLANT
There was no stable manur applied
before the fall spading, as was done
in last years experiment; but a coat
ing of well slaked ashes was applied
in the spring and hoed in, and a hand
full of guano put in each hill at the
time of planting. Nothing extra in
the way of manuring, you will OBJ
serve. The working was the same as
last year, only that the root-prunlng
was omitted. The drills were placed
five feet apart instead of three feet, as
in last years experiment.. and the hills
were two feet in the drills with four
stalks in each hill. AS the drills were
so wide apart, valentine beans were
planted between. The corn was
planted on the 18th of March, from
seed taken from the top a of those
stalks that bore two ears last season.
I would especially call attention to
this selection Of seed in connection
with this years experiment.
WEATHER.
The weather this season was colder
at and after planting, and the corn
was backward in coming up and
growing off. May and June were
favorable, but the latter part of July
and all of August the rains were ex-
cessive.
FRIOD OF MATURITY.
The cold of the spring and the con-
tinuous rains of the summe interior
red greatly with the maturing Of the
plants. The time was about the same
as last year.
RESULT OF EXPERIMENT.
First row, 6 hills of 4 stalks each
"a stalks. Produced 80 ears; l6 on
Is stalks, and Is on s stalks. Weight
of shelled corn from the 80 ears, II
pounds. Second row, 6 hills of 4
stalks each-24 stalks. Produced 35
ears; Is on l3 stalks, and % on IL
stalks. Weight Of shelled corn from
the 35 ears, 1912 pounds. Third
row, 6 hills of 4 stalks each-24 stalks.
Produced "a ears; "A on IA stalks,
and 20 on 10 stalks. Weight of
shelled corn from the "a ears, 1884
pounds. Fourth row, 6 hills of 4
stalks each-24 stalks. Produced 81
ears; II on II stalks, and IA on 7
stalks. Weight of shelled corn from
the 81 ears, 10 ID pounds. Between
the rows, yielded l bushel Of early
valentine snap beans.
Our experiment thus gives us with
la a fraction Of 43 pounds of shelled
corn plus'l bushel Of snap beans on
the LIS Of an acre; or at the rates
of 1876 bushels Of corn and l75 bushels
of. beans to the acre.
SELECTION OF SEED.
By comparing our experiment with
the n of last year, we find that there
were no stalks without ears of some
kind, though many were quite small.
We also find that the number of stalks
producing 2 ears are 3 to | as COM
pared with last year.
Our experiment also shows a loss of
ten bushels to the acre by making our
rows 5 feet instead of 8 feet.
We do not expect to accomplish
more than we have done with our
present surroundings and very limited
means of experimenting, but we will
improve u seed all the same, and
bring it up to its greatest perfection,
when we hope to have the means to
manure and prepare and work to the
extent necessary for obtaining large
yields. D. G.. ANDERSON.
Monroe, n. c., Oct. T.. 'S7.